• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Shop
    • Shop Site
    • Shop TPT
  • Cart
  • Login
  • 0 items$0.00

Nav Social Menu

Click here to grab your FREE fact fluency games

Teaching Trove

Teaching Trove

Making learning fun

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
    • Math
    • Literacy
    • Classroom management
  • Free Teaching Treasures
Home | Blog | Mathematics | How to Make Addition Strategies Stick

How to Make Addition Strategies Stick

Blog, Mathematics

Pin654
Share
Tweet
654 Shares

I love it when I know kids are using addition strategies to answer their number facts.

You know how it is, at the beginning of the year they’re using a ruler, their fingers or blocks to add 4 + 5 and now you ask them and they answer …within three seconds … no fingers!

They can mentally process 4 + 4 + 1 more in seconds.

And all because you took the time to teach them the strategies.

Teach them addition strategies

Addition strategies, also known as mental math strategies, make addition easier.

A child who relies on adding on their fingers is going to run into a heap of problems. Plus their confidence takes a hit when they see peers quickly adding.

Research shows children who understand and can use the processes involved in adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing are more likely to try new ideas and adapt their knowledge to unfamiliar situations.

Children who struggle with basic math will develop the belief they can’t do math.

This then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

These kids will avoid activities where their lack of knowledge is obvious. In time, it means new ideas, generalizations, and applications are beyond their reach.

If we want children to add, subtract, multiply or divide with confidence, their recall of basic facts must be automatic. This starts with addition.

I always have a sequenced approach to teaching the basic addition facts to twenty and I’ve written about how I teach the addition facts here.

Use games to consolidate their learning

Place plenty of addition strategy games in your math stations. Not only when you teach the strategy but throughout the year to keep the strategy fresh in kid’s minds.

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

Rainbow facts, friends of ten, whatever you call it; being able to add two numbers to make ten is an important strategy.

Kids need to understand 8 + 2 or 7 + 3  make ten as this helps when kids move onto harder facts such as 8 + 4. If they know 8 + 2 = 10 they only have to count on 2 more to get the answer.

When they start adding larger numbers they can use these compatible numbers to add numbers quickly – 43 + 27.

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

Counting on requires students to start with the largest number and count up 1, 2 or 3 more. Counting on any more than three can start to confuse students and there are better strategies to use.

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

There’s no particular strategy for learning the doubles, students must memorize them. Use rhymes and visuals to help.

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

Once your kids know their doubles, they can use a double to help them answer their doubles plus one facts;

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

and doubles plus two. Introduce these strategies when kids know their doubles facts.

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

Young kids can find teen numbers tricky.

Understanding that a teen number is made up of tens and ones is crucial for the understanding of place value. I always include adding to ten as an addition strategy for kids to learn.

Addition games provide hands-on practice for learning addition strategies. Introduce the thinking strategy for practicing count ons, doubles, near doubles, making a ten and then engage your first grade students with fun math games that help improve their fact fluency. Perfect for homeschoolers too! #mathgames #additionstrategies

Introduce kids to adding 9 when they are confident with adding 10 to a number. Also known as add 10, count back 1 or see 9, think 10, this strategy can be used for adding 8.

Grab some games for your math centers

You can grab these addition games from my store by clicking HERE or on the picture below.

If you would prefer to purchase from our store on Teachers Pay Teachers, please click this link.

Success! Now check your email to get the key to unlock the Trove.

There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.

By signing up, you'll also receive my weekly newsletter containing teaching tips and freebies. Powered by ConvertKit

Related Posts

  • Addition Strategies to Increase Fact Fluency

    Number fact fluency is important to develop in first and second grade. Without automatic recall…

  • 8 Strategies That Will Make Subtraction Easy

    Do you spend a lot of time teaching the addition strategies but a lot less…

  • Why Teaching these Strategies Improves Addition Fact Fluency in Young Learners

    What happens when a child has no addition strategies to help them add two numbers…

Pin654
Share
Tweet
654 Shares

· Leave a Comment

Previous Post: « Ideas for Teaching a Food and Nutrition Unit
Next Post: How to Improve Your Student’s Number Fact Fluency »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




I accept the Privacy Policy

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

I believe when you use fun, motivating, hands-on games in your classroom you will have eager, engaged students.

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
Shop the Store

Find it Fast

Search by Category

Subscribe via Email

Must Have Resources

Footer

Shop

  • Teaching Trove Shop
  • TPT Shop

EXPLORE

  • About
  • Blog
  • Freebies

Customer Care

  • My Account
  • FAQ
  • Contact

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

Copyright © 2023 · WEBSITE DESIGN BY LAUGH EAT LEARN